Fast food. A meal in less than 40 minutes.

Hot Tamale

Frozen Foods Add A Twist To Dinner Dishes

March 06, 1996|By Pat Dailey , Tribune Staff Writer.

Tamale hash

Poached eggs

Avocado tomato relish

Warm flour tortillas

Vanilla and rum-spiced pineapple

Mexican coffee

Convenience comes in many cuisines, offering a world of fast-meal options that extends beyond American mainstream. A scan of the freezer case at the supermarket often yields some welcome surprises. Tamales, for example. Once strictly limited to Latin American markets, they now can be found in many supermarkets, either fresh or frozen.

Here, they're sliced and folded into potato hash for a novel way to approach brunch. If leftover cooked potatoes are on hand, this is a fine way to use them up. Otherwise, boil them the day before so they're cool enough to slice. A few other simple ingredients turn the dish into an eye-opener.